Falcon Family Updates

As we welcome a new month, I want to thank you for your continued support and partnership. Each day, our students are learning, growing, and making strides toward becoming the leaders we know they can be.

At University Place, we are continuing to build a school where students feel valued, supported, and encouraged to do their very best. Our Falcon Five Core Values of Perseverance, Respect, Inquisitive, Disciplined, and Empathy are helping us shape not only great students but great people. I encourage you to talk with your child about these values and how they can demonstrate them at home and in our community.

As we move into November, I want to place a special emphasis on attendance. Our goal is to maintain at least 95% attendance, and we need every family to help us reach that goal! Every day your child is present is another opportunity to learn, grow, and succeed. Missing even one day means missing valuable instruction and learning experiences. Please make every effort to have your child at school on time each day. If your child must be absent, remember to submit an excuse. Together, we can make sure our Falcons are present, prepared, and ready to learn!

Thank you for trusting us with your children. I am excited about all that is ahead for our Falcons!

Growing Tomorrow's Leaders Today!

Aim High, Fly Higher!With Love, Kindness, & Falcon Pride

Mrs. Brittany Grayson

Principal, University Place Elementary

🦅 Growing Tomorrow’s Leaders Today

We need your continued partnership in helping our Falcon Leaders make the most of every school day! We are seeing an increase in late check-ins and early check-outs, and we want to remind families that arriving on time and remaining at school for the entire instructional day are important parts of student success. While we understand that unexpected circumstances may arise, frequent tardies and early departures can cause students to miss valuable instruction, classroom activities, and important learning opportunities. Our school day begins promptly at 7:55 a.m. and ends at 2:40 p.m. We encourage families to establish routines that support on-time arrival and full-day attendance. Whenever possible, please schedule appointments and other activities outside of school hours so students can benefit from every minute in the classroom. Together, we can help our Falcon Leaders develop responsible habits, stay engaged in learning, and reach their full potential. Let's continue to Strive for Five by making attendance a priority! Be here. Be on time. Stay all day. Every minute matters! 🦅❤️🖤

Our Falcon Leaders soar higher when families and schools work together! We invite all families to join the University Place Elementary PTA and be part of making a difference for our students and school. PTA membership is a wonderful way to stay connected, support school activities, share ideas, and help create meaningful experiences for our Falcon Leaders. You don’t have to attend every meeting or volunteer at every event—every voice, every idea, and every bit of support matters! As we continue our Passport to Excellence journey, we’d love to have YOU along for the ride! ❤️🖤🦅

Join us in Growing Tomorrow’s Leaders Today!

Our latest Leadership Assembly focused on the importance of being disciplined! Our Falcon Leaders were reminded that discipline means making positive choices, staying focused, taking responsibility, and doing what is right—even when no one is watching. Through engaging discussions and activities, students were encouraged to understand that success comes from consistency, self-control, and a commitment to doing their very best each day. We are proud of our Falcon Leaders as they continue to grow, lead, and make a positive impact throughout our school!

Discipline today, leadership tomorrow! ❤️🖤

#GrowingTomorrowsLeadersToday!

We are so proud of our Falcon Leaders who were recognized during our First Nine Weeks Honors Day for earning All A’s or All A’s and B’s during the first quarter! ❤️🖤 These students have demonstrated hard work, dedication, perseverance, and a commitment to doing their very best. Their accomplishments reflect the importance of setting goals, staying focused, and taking pride in their learning. Congratulations to our outstanding scholars and their families on this well-deserved recognition! Keep reaching for the stars, Falcon Leaders, and remember that your hard work today helps build your success tomorrow! 🦅✨ We’re Growing Tomorrow’s Leaders Today!

We’re giving a special shout-out to Kinsley, a 2nd grader in Mr. McDaniel’s class, for completing our Creepy Carrots! activity! We love seeing our Falcon Leaders participate in fun learning experiences that bring stories to life and spark creativity. Way to go, Kinsley! Thank you for participating and showing your Falcon pride! ❤️🖤🦅

❤️🖤 Our 5th Grade Falcon Leaders set the standard for leadership and showing what it means to lead by example! 🦅 These outstanding students have been recognized through our Positive Office Referrals for demonstrating our core values of Perseverance, Respect, Inquisitiveness, Discipline and Empathy (Falcon PRIDE). We are proud to celebrate our fifth graders as they make positive choices, support their classmates, and demonstrate leadership in action each day. Keep soaring, 5th Grade, and continue to inspire those around you to reach new heights! We’re Growing Tomorrow’s Leaders Today! ❤️🖤🦅

This month, enjoy reading Llama Llama Gives Thanks with your child and talking about the many things that make us feel thankful! Ask your little reader what Llama is thankful for, who helps Llama, and what makes Llama happy. Then, create a “Thankful Llama” by drawing a llama and adding five things your family is thankful for. For children ready to write, use the sentence starter, “I am thankful for _____ because _____.” This is a wonderful opportunity to build literacy skills while reminding our Falcon Leaders that even the smallest moments and acts of kindness are worth celebrating. ❤️🖤🍁

Check out the link below to play Leaping Lily Pads at home with your child! In this interactive game, students help a frog leap along a number path by adding and subtracting 1 or 2. It’s a fun, quick way to help your child connect counting with adding and subtracting while building their mental math fluency. Ask them to explain how they know which way the frog should jump!

Gratitude shines brightest when we put it into action! As Falcon Leaders, we can show appreciation by recognizing the hard work of others, offering encouragement, helping without being asked, and taking time to thank the people who make our school a wonderful place to learn and grow. Whether it’s a kind note, a thoughtful gesture, or a simple “I appreciate you,” our actions can brighten someone’s day and remind them that they matter. Let’s continue to look for opportunities to spread kindness, celebrate others, and lead with grateful hearts. When gratitude becomes a habit, kindness becomes our superpower! ❤️🖤✨

🌟 Weekly Challenge: Look for an opportunity to show appreciation to someone at school or at home this week. What can you do to make that person feel valued and appreciated? Remember, Falcon Leaders make a difference through the little things they do every day!

❤️🖤 Our Falcons are soaring with an overall attendance rate of 96.7%, well above our schoolwide goal of 95%! 🎉🦅 A special shoutout to Pre-K and 4th Grade for leading the way at an outstanding 98%! 2nd and 5th Grades are close behind at 97%, Kindergarten and 3rd Grade are at 96%, and 1st Grade is meeting our goal at 95%! Way to soar, Falcons!

We are proud of our students and families for making attendance a priority! Every day at school is an opportunity to learn, grow, build friendships, and make progress. Let's keep working together to maintain strong attendance and encourage every Falcon to rise to the expectation. Remember, our goal is 95% attendance for EVERY grade level, not just our schoolwide average. Let's continue building strong attendance habits and making every school day count!

⭐ Be here every day. Arrive on time. Stay all day. Be ready to learn. STRIVE FOR FIVE! ⭐

Together, we're Growing Tomorrow's Leaders Today! ❤️🖤

Planning a family getaway? Be sure to check our Vacation Planner and plan those special trips around the school calendar whenever possible. A little planning ahead helps our Falcon Leaders enjoy important family time while protecting valuable instructional days. Let’s work together to keep our Falcons present, engaged, and ready to learn so they can continue to learn, grow, and soar all year long! 🦅❤️🖤 Plan It. Be Present. Make Every Day Count!

• Nov. 6th-Progress Reports Go Home
• Nov. 9th-13th-World Kindness Week
• Nov. 11-No School-Veteran's Day
• Nov. 16th-20th-Book Fair
• Nov. 17th &18th-Thanksgiving Lunch (more details to come)
• Nov. 20th-Holiday Pictures (pre-pay only)
• Nov. 23rd-27th-Fall Break

We are excited to partner with Neighborhood Bridges, an organization committed to connecting families with the resources and support they need to thrive. Through this partnership, our Falcon Leaders and their families can gain access to valuable community resources and opportunities that help strengthen our school community. We are grateful for organizations like Neighborhood Bridges that help build bridges, create connections, and support our families!

The Tuscaloosa City Schools is now using ParentSquare—a unified platform for all schools, classrooms and district communications. With ParentSquare, you can receive updates via email, text or app; view calendars and RSVP to events; sign up to volunteer; and securely receive student documents like report cards and IEPs. What's even better is you'll get communications from school administrators, teachers, coaches and the district all through Parentsquare.

Check your email or text for an invitation to activate your account, or register at www.parentsquare.com using the same email linked to your student’s enrollment. Download the free app TODAY to stay connected across the district. We encourage every family to join and engage with our school community on ParentSquare. #TCSUpdates #GetConnected #StayConnected #ConnectedForSuccess

Our Falcon Leaders are expected to know the rules, make responsible choices, and treat others with kindness, respect, and integrity. The Code of Conduct and dress code outline the expectations that help keep our school safe, welcoming, and focused on learning. Families, please take a few minutes to review the Code of Conduct and dress code with your child and reinforce the importance of making positive choices each day. When we understand and follow expectations, we create a school culture where every Falcon can learn, grow, and soar! 🦅 Know the Code. Make Good Choices. Dress for Success. Lead with Pride! ❤️🖤

Check out our Special Education Newsletter for helpful updates, resources, and important information to support our Falcon Leaders and families!

Feeling safe at school is a non-negotiable at University Place Elementary. Therefore, we must ensure that our campus is safe at ALL TIMES. Below are a few of our non-negotiables:

• ALL visitors must sign into our RAPTOR system before moving beyond the front lobby to enter the building. This includes having a valid state issued ID in hand.
• A valid state issued ID is required anytime a child is checked out.
• Students are not allowed phone calls or food deliveries on campus.
• Changes in transportation cannot and will not be taken over the phone.
• No students will be allowed to check out after 2:00 p.m. NO EXCEPTIONS!!
• Safety drills will be practiced monthly- including but not limited to backpack searches, fire drills, lockdown drills, and severe weather drills.
• Disruptive behaviors will not be allowed and will be handled according to the Tuscaloosa City Schools Code of Conduct.
• A threat to self or others will also be handled according to the Tuscaloosa City Schools Code of Conduct and State laws and/or mandates.
• All discipline and safety measures will be strictly enforced. NO EXCEPTIONS

It’s time to show up and soar! As our Falcon football teams take the field, let’s rally together and show our players what it means to have a school and community behind them. Encourage your families to wear their Falcon colors, bring their loudest cheers, and fill the stands with Falcon pride! Let’s pack the stands, cheer on our teams, and remind our Falcon Leaders that we’re with them every step of the way! 🦅❤️🖤

Brittany Grayson, Principal

Christina Holman, Assistant Principal

Motto: "Growing Tomorrow's LEADERS Today!"

Email: bgrayson@tusc.k12.al.us

Website: https://www.tuscaloosacityschools.com/Domain/26
Location: 2000 1st Avenue, Tuscaloosa, AL, USA
Phone: 205-759-3664
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UniversityPlaceElementarySchool
Twitter: @UPES_Leads